Mechanism for aligning boxes in a stack



y 1952 E. G. GRIFFITH MECHANISM FOR ALIGNING BOXES m A sum 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 27, 1948 llllll l llll lllll| llllllllll lllllllllllllllll.ll'lllllllllll Illllllll lilll||l|lll l l l I lllll INVENTOR, farljyrijfi'f/L y 1952 E. G. GRIFFITH MECHANISM FOR ALIGNING BOXES IN A STACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27, 1948 m II...

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MECHANISM FOR ALIGNING BOXES IN A STACK Filed Nov. 27, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 8, 1952 MECHANISM FOR ALIGNING BOXES IN A STACK Earl G. Griflith, Los'Angeles, Calif. Application November 27, 1948, serial No. 2,232. J

1 This invention relates to mechanism for aligning boxes ina stack, and it is particularly designed for aligning boxes of fruit and the like which are to be moved to and delivered in a stack toan elevator mechanism designed to receive and elevate said stack to a higher level.

. It is necessary in delivering stacks of boxes into an elevator mechanism, to be carried up to a higher level, that said boxes be in alignment with each other in order to prevent projecting parts I of the boxes in a stack from catching on fixed parts of the elevator mechanism and causing damage tothe'boxes and possible breakage and damage to the elevator mechanism.

Itis an object of this invention to provide such a mechanism, with means for operating it, which will automatically engage and align the boxes in a stack-as the stack of boxesisapproaching the elevator mechanism, whereby said stack of boxes can be lifted as a stack by said elevator mechanism without any danger of any of the boxes in the stack catching on other parts of said elevator mechanism and being damaged.

,-,Another object of thi invention is-to provide means, automatically operated, whereby boxes,

being moved along upon a carrier or conveyor mechanism, can be automatically stopped momentarily and then released, as may be required, in order to insure perfect working of said aligning mechanism, said aligning mechanism being operated during the stopped period of said stack mechanism, and showing the aligning members or levers in open or inoperative positions to receive a stack of boxes therebetween'; I V

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the aligning members or arms in operated positions, with the;boxes in alinement;

FigureB isa horizontal sectional view, taken on the irregular broken line 33 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view, take n on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a. sectional :view of ,a clutch and is :taken on the line 'I-I of Fig. 5;

Figure 8 is a sectional viewof; a brake mechanism, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5; and I Figure 9, is a detail in section, taken on line 9,9 of Fig. 4. I l

Referring now in detail to the drawings, Fig.3 is a view looking down upon the horizontal, traveling sprocket chains at the floor level, and onto which a stack of boxes is moved by means of a hand truck, or otherwise. Two spaced receiving sprocket chains are shown, designated I0, Ill, and running over sprocket wheels II, II, on shaft I2 at one end and over sprocket wheels I3, I3, on a shaft I4, at the other end. These two sprocket chains constitutean endless conveyor, preferably at floor level, which makes it easy to move a stack of boxe's'on to said conveyor, to be carried forwardly as a stack, to an elevator mechanism designed to receive such stack. Said conveyor moves slowly andreceives the stack successively as they are delivered thereto. Said chains are shown moving in U-shaped or channel guide members I5, I5.

Two other endless conveyors. I6, I6, running over idler sprockets l1, IT, on shaft I8, at the receiving end, are shown to receive the stacks of boxes from'sprocket chains I0, I0, and at their other ends said conveyor chains I6, I6, run over driving sprockets I9, I9, on a drive shaft20, said sprocket or conveyor chains I6, I6, also run in guide channels, as 2|, 2|, similar to the channels I5, I5,and seen inFigs. land 5.

.' The power shaft 20 isconnected into a gear reduction box 22, from which power is transmitted to said shaft 20, from any source of power connected to said gear box, as at 22'. A small sprocket 23, on shaft 20, carries a drive sprocket chain .24, running to a large sprocket 25, which ha's'connected with it as a part thereof a clutch ring, referred to as 44 hereafter, and forming a part of a clutch mechanism. This large sprocket 25, with said clutch ring, 44, and also a small sprocket 28, attached to the other side of said large sprocket, run freely on shaft 26, and carry drive chain 21, which runs to sprocket 29, keyed to shaft I4. This willv be seen in Figs. 5 and 3. The hub of sprocket 28 is welded to sprocket 25, at 28.

Thus conveyors I6, I6, receivethe stacks of boxes from conveyors I6, I0. Conveyors l6, I6 move faster than do conveyors I 0, II], for the reason that conveyors I6, I6 are driven from the drive sprockets I9, I9, on power shaft 20, while conveyors III, II] are driven by shaft I4, which is continuously driven from shaft 20 through sprocket 23, chain 24, sprocket 25, clutch ring 44, sprocket 28, chain 21 and sprocket 29., v

Thus stacks of boxes, delivered to conveyors II], III, are moved slowly to the receiving ends of conveyors I6, I6, where they are-picked up by conveyors I6, I6, and moved a little faster forwardly to -a position between two vertical housings 30, 3|], seen in Figs...1 and 2, and also seen in horizontal sectional views in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Said housings 36, 30,-are open on their inner sides and have their vertical endless conveyor chains 3 I, 3! running over prockets 32, 32, in the upper ends of said housings, and under sprockets 33, 33, in the lower ends of said housings, Figs. 1 and 2.

The lower ends of said vertical elevators are extended below the floors, or below the level of the conveyors l3, l0, and I6, I6. Vertical elevator sprocket chains 3|, 3|, are provided at intervals with angle members, as 34, 34, Fig. 3. These angle members constitute lifting members for the.

stacks of boxes moved therebetween on conveyswing said arm 53 around said shaft 26.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the shaft 26 is shown brokenaway, but two of the spring arms 53, 53

raised positions.

ors H5. The guides for the conveyors l and l are secured to angle members 35, 35, which are spaced at intervals across the two vertical frame structure, between the side members 36, 36. At the entrance .end of the conveyors l5, 10, said side members 36, 36, are connected by angle members 31. and 38, below the floor level, Figs. 1, 2

and. 3.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a pair of stop rollers, as 38, 38 are mounted in the path of the moving stacks of boxes, on conveyors l5, I6, and against which said stacks of boxes may be stopped. Said stop rollers are carried at the upper ends of members 39, 39, in guide boxes 46, and are provided with antifriction rollers, as 4|,

4 l. .The lower end of said member, 35 has .an angle raised and operative position.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 7, a clutch ring 44 is -mounted on the side of the large sprocket wheel .25, on shaft 26. Secured on said shaft 26, within said clutch ring 44, is a clutch disc 45, having a segmental notch 46 formed therein, in which is a clutch dog 41, pivotally held so as to be moved outwardly by a spring loaded plunger 48, into position to be engaged in and be rotated by one of the notches in the clutch ring 44; as one of saidnotches engages the edge of said. clutch dog .47, whereby to turn said. clutch disc 45 and its shaft 25.

A clutch release member 49, shown in transverse section in Figs. 4 and 5, and in longitudinal section in'Fig. 6, is suspended from shaft 50, one

vendof which is supported in a plate 5| on a cross member 35, whileits other end is supported in a plate 52, on another cross member 35, as will be understood from the plan view in Fig.3, and the sectional view Fig. 6. Said clutch release member 45 is formed to overlie the clutch disc or member 45, which extends beyond the side of the "clutch ring 44, aswill be understood from Figs. 5, Band '7. Mounted on shaft 26, on whichsaid clutch disc 45 is mounted, is an arm 53, having at its free end a roller 54, which, when said shaft 26 is turned, will swing around over said shaft and engagethe angle member 42. on the lower end of the stop roller support 39, and pull said st'oproller down to release a stack of boxes which v may be held by it, as hereinafter again referred to.

Pivotally mounted alongside of said clutch release member 45,:is an upstanding safety lever 55 of A-shape, with its pivot support 56 in the A-form as seen in Fig. 6. Between the ends of said A-frame lever is a roller 51, which bears against the side of said suspended and swinging clutch releasemember 45,, as will be understood from Figs. 5 andfi. When said safety lever 551s depressed by a stack of boxes moving upon it on its way to'the stop roller'33, the roller end 51 is moved away from said clutch release member are shown. In Fig. 1 said arms are down, while in Fig. 2 said arms 53, 53 are shown in their Short pivoted arms, 58, 58, are shown at the opposite sides of the structure, pivoted as at 59 with their free ends connected with cross members 58'. As said arms 53 are raised, as before stated, the rollers at their free ends engage and lift said short. arms 58, 58, from the positions shown in Fig. 1, to the positions shown in Fig. 2. The end of said pivoted arm 58 and one of its cross member 58' can be, seen in Fig. 6. before the arm 53 and its roller 54 areraised to engage and lift it. This is'the mechanism which operates the vertical box straightening arms or-levers now to bedescribed.

At opposite sides of the vertical structures in which the stacks of boxes are deposited, are two vertical leversor arms, as 68, 50, pivotally mounted at their lower ends, as at El; and in the present form said arms or levers 60 havethe angles 60 formed therein to facilitate movement against theopposite sides of a stack of boxes, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 2.

Operating members, as 52, 52, are pivotally connected at their lower ends to said short levers 58, 58, as at 63, and at their upper ends said operating members are connected by means of toggle links 64, 64, to said vertical arms or levers 60,

6!], with coiled springs, as 65, 65, between the ends of said members 62 and said toggle links 64. Thus when the clutch release member 49, permits the arms 53-, 53, on shaft 26, to be rotated, the rollers 54,- 54, on theiree ends of said arms, engage'said cross members 58 58 on the free ends of thepivoted levers 58,58, and raise said operating members 62,- 62 in such away as, to move A coiled spring H is placed on theend of said rod' 56, outsideof the bell crank arm 61, with an adjustment nut 12 on the end of said rod forregulating the tension of said spring. This spring is to provide for a certain yieldable movement of bell'crank 68, if the clutch release member is not free to be moved.

Assuming that a stack cf boxes has been moved by conveyors i0, 15, to, and have been picked up by, conveyors l5, I5, and carried to the stop rollers 38, 38', said stack is held by said stop rollers and the conveyor chains H6, H5 continue to move thereunder.

Just prior to the arrival of said stack of boxes at the stoprollers 33,38, said stack of boxes has engaged and moved the pivoted member from its up position as seen in Fig. 6, to its down position, shown in light dotted lines. This movement of said member "55 will permit the clutch release member 43 to be moved sufficiently to release the'clutch disc dog or pawl 47 to be moved out to be engaged by one of the notches in the to be moved forwardly to the elevator angle mem- V bers 34, 34, seen in Fig. '3. There are two of these arms 53, one at each end of shaft '26, as seen in Fig. 5, to engage and move the levers'58, 58, and also the stop rollers. In order to prevent accelerated movement of said arms 53, after. they have moved the box straightening mechanism, as they move over the top of their are of movement, the brake mechanism shown in Fig. 8, is provided on the shaft '26,- Figs; 5 and 8, keeps said arms from moving too fast. This brake mechanism includes a; brake member 77, having two brake faces as 18 and 19 togbe engaged by a brake shoe 8!], supported on a'pivoted arm 8|, pivoted at one end, as at 82, and at its other end yieldingly held by a bolt 83 having a spring 84 thereon, bearing against a fixed angle member 85, having a stop bolt 86 adjustably secured therethrough, as shown in Fig. 8, whereby said brake shoe supporting pivoted arm 8| can be adjusted to give the proper friction on said brake member 11 to hold the shaft 25 and its swinging arm 53, which is power driven through the shaft 26. Thus the swinging arm '53, which operates the box straightening mechanism first, and then as it moves on over the arc to operate the withdrawal of the stop rollers 38, 38, can be held automatically by said brake mechanism against uneven movement.-

, 'As the angle members 34, 34, which carry the stacks of boxes up, pass the arm 14, on shaft 13', a projecting member 15 on one of said angle members 34, as seen in Fig. 3', engages and moves said arm '14 and rocks shaft 1 3, on the outer end of which, as seen in Fig. 4, is an arm and the connecting rod 69, hereinbefore described, which operates the bell crank 68 for pulling the clutch release member 49, if there is a stack of boxes on the lever 55, before the stop rollers 38." If

there i no stack of boxes holding said lever 55 down, then said clutch release member "49 cannot be moved, but the bell crank 68 can'be moved by reaso'n'of the coiled'spring "H on said rod '66, when the prior stack of boxes which is being carried up on the elevator angle plates 34, 34, en-

gages through the armor member the arm- "and rocks said shaft 13, and .through'its'com nections, operates the bell crank 68. Each carrying angle member 34, on one side, has one of the projecting arms or members 15 on it, so that it operates the bell crank 68, whether there is a stack of boxes on said angle members or not., If there is no stack of boxes'o'ver the tilting lever 55, to hold it down and release the clutch release member 49, the bell crank is moved on the rod 66, against the tension of the spring H, as before -descr'ibed. If said tilting lever 55 is being held '41 and permit it to be moved out by its plunger 48 into operative engagement with one of the teeth or notches 44 in the clutch ring 44, for turning the shaft 26 and the swinging arm '53, "before'described; v

Thus this control mechanism operates-to preventa' stack of boxes-from being carried forward to the elevator mechanism untill-the preceding stack of boxes has beenmoved up out ofthe way. said preceding-stack operating throughtheconnections "described -to release' the clutch release member '43 and permitting the box straightening arms to be 0pe rated, a"nd the stop rollers to be withdrawn, to permit the following-stackof boxes to be moved -'-forwardl 'the elevator members- 34, 34. 1 w A Y I do not, however; limit my invention to-the details of constructioii and" arrangement I here shown for explanatory purposes, realizingzthat many changes in n such details can be -mad, exo ept as I may be limited by a reasonable interpretation of' the hereto appended "claims forming a Dart'of this'specification. Iclaim':

I 1. A mechanism-for aligning'boxes in' astack and including 'a'horizont'al conveyor'to' receive a stack of boxes and move it as" a stack, -means*for operating said: horizontal conveyor, a vertical structure having two vertical elevators therein and facing each other to receive said' stackiof boxes therebetween, means onsaid elevators for engaging un'd-er opposite sides ofsaid- -stacki-of boxes for'elevatingthe'm,'means at oppositersides of said horizontal conveyor to be operated against the'opposite sides of "said'stack of boxes forraligning said" boxes; means for operating, said al gning means, means for stopping said stack ofboxes "during its horizontal movement on said conveyor and for holding it during saidaligning operation, and means for automaticallyireleasing.said stop? ping means to permit said stack of boxes to be carried forwardly in aligned condition. a I

2. A mechanism for aligning bOXESii'Il a stack and including: atraveling horizontalconveyor to receive a stack of boxes, means-for driving it, a second horizontal conveyor to receive said stack of boxes from said first conveyor, mean -for driving said second conveyor at a faster speed, a verticahstructure having vertical .elevatorsin its opposite sides, and between which saidstacks of boxes are moved,- means on said elevatorsfor engaging'at opposite sides a stack of boxes and elevating it, stop means in the path of said horizontal-conveyor to stop and hold said, stack of "boxes-for a period, means at opposite sides of -saidconveyor operable against the opposite sides of a stack of boxes for aligning the-boxes in'a stack, means forautomatically operating said aligning means during the time said stack is held against movement, and means foriautomatically releasing said stop means to permit said stack to bE'iIlDVC-ld forwardlv to said vertical elevators. I

. 3.-1A machine for aligning boxes in a stack including a traveling horizontal conveyorto receive a stack of boxes, means for driving it, a second horizontal conveyor to receive said .s'tack of boxes from said first conveyor, means for driving said second conveyor at faster speed than said f rst conveyonmeans in the path of travel of said stack of boxes on said second conveyor for stop ping and holding a stack of boxes whilethe conveyor continues to move thereunder, vertical straightening arms movably supported at opp site sides of said conveyor, at the stop position,

means for automatically operatingsaid arms toward each other on the opposite sides'of a stack of boxes to straighten the boxes in said stack, means forautomatically releasing saidstop means to permit said stack of boxes to be moved forwardly, vertical elevators at opposite "sides- 0f said conveyors, said elevators having lifting means to engage the .opposite undersides of a stack of boxes for lifting it to a higher level, and means for operating saidvertical elevators.

4;"Incombination with a conveyor to receive anct inoveastack of boxes forwardly, means for arresting the movement of said stock of boxes, pivotally movable means at opposite sides ofsaid stack of boxes; and movable toward and from each other for engaging and aligning said boxes in the stack, means for automatically operating said aligning means, and means for releasing said stack of boxes for continuedforward movement as-a stack. 7 v 15. In combination with a horizontal conveyor to receive and move a stack of boxes, a vertical elevator to receive said stack of boxes and elevate it, means cooperating with said horizontal conveyor for stopping the movement of said stack of-boxes momentarily,pivoted levers at opposite sides of said stack of boxes for engaging and aligning said boxes in the stack,'means for automatically operating said aligning levers, and meansifor releasing said stack of boxes for continued forward movement as a stack with said horizontal conveyor. V

6. In combination with a horizontal conveyor to-"receive and carry stacks of boxes forwardly, stop members movable into and out of the path of travel of said stacks of boxes formomentarily I stopping the movement of said stacks of boxes, means for automatically operating said stop members, aligning members operably located at opposite sides of the path of travel of said stacks of boxes and movable toward and from each other movement of said conveyorto arrest the movementof said stack, means for automatically operatingsaid stop means, means at opposite sides of said conveyor and operable against each stack of boxes during its stopped period for aligning the boxes in the stack, means for automaticallyoperatingsaid aligning means, and means for automatically releasing said stop means as said aligning means are moved away from said stack of boxes, whereby said stack of boxes is then moved forwardly to said vertical elevator.

8. In a mechanism for handling stacks of boxes,

a horizontal conveyor for receiving stacks of boxes,'means for driving it, a second horizontal conveyor lit alignment with said first conveyor and to receive stacks of boxes from said first conveyor, means for driving said second conveyor at a faster speed, whereby to move the received stack ofboxes forwardly in spaced relationship to the next-succeeding stack, stop means for momentarily stopping the movement of a stack of boxes on said second conveyor, box aligning means at the opposite sides of said conveyor and operable against the opposite sides of said stack of boxes during its stopped period for aligning the boxes in said stack, means for automatically operating said aligning means during said stopped period, said stopping means and said aligning means being timed to release said stack of boxes for fora horizontal conveyor for carrying stacks of boxes to said first conveyor, said conveyors overlapping to transfer a stack from one conveyorto the other, said: conveyors being moved at different speeds to provide greater distance between said stacks as they are picked up by the first men-: tioned conveyor, means whereby said stacks of boxes are intermittently stopped during the move-: 'ment of the faster conveyor, aligning means at opposite sides of said conveyor and operable against the opposite sides of said stack of boxes during its stopped period for aligning the boxes in said stack, means for releasingsaid stopping means to permit forward movement of said aligned stack of boxes to said elevator, said stop ping means for said stacks of boxes being timed to release: said stacks of boxes for forward movement following the operation of said aligning means. g I

10. In combination with an elevator mechanism for stacks ,of boxes, a feeding mechanism for moving stacks of boxes to said-elevator mechanism, retractable stops for holding said stacks against movement by said feeding mechanism,

means for aligningthe boxes in a stack. during the stopped period of said stack of boxes, a clutch mechanism for operating said aligning means, means controlled by the elevator mechanism, for actuating said clutch mechanis. means to prevent such. actuation of said clutch mechanism when there is no stack of boxes in position to be aligned by said aligning means, said retractable stops, aligning means, and clutch mechanism being timed to successively move, stop, align and release a stack of boxes under the control of said elevator mechanism. 1

11. The-combination with an elevator mechanismto receive and elevate stacks of boxes, of a pair. of horizontal conveyors, with means for driving them .atdiiierent speeds, to receive stacks of boxes and 'move them forwardly toward said elevator, stop meansin thepath of'said conveyors for, momentarily stopping the movement of said stacksof boxestoward said elevator mechanism,

aligning mechanism at the opposite sides of said conveyors and operable against the opposite sides of a-stackof boxesduring its stopped period for aligning the boxes in said stack, means automatically and intermittentlyoperating said aligning mechanism, said stop means" and said aligning mechanism being timed to release said stack of boxes for forward movement to said elevator mechanism following the operation of said aligning mechanism, said mechanisms being controlled 'by the movement of the elevator mechanism with a stack of boxes thereon.

EARL G. GRIFFITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

